Greetings from Monterrey! It's been a while since we've sent a newsletter--life barrels along a such a speed, and the life in ministry here seems to lead from one thing to another. Have you ever been on a mission trip? Do you remember how you ran from one thing to another, enjoying it, loving it, interacting with people in wonderful and life-changing ways?? Your trip probably lasted a week--we're going on six years of it! ha,ha.. And, we wouldn't have it any other way. Life is FULL...and it's good...and best of, "God with us!"
Ministry and service at the both the teachers' college and the seminary go forward. Jeanne is teaching and guiding those delightful-if-not-sometimes-pesky high schoolers in the mornings and working with the first-year student teachers in the afternoons, helping them develop and use their English-language vocabulary. Jon is at the seminary in the mornings, attending to the duties of the dean, and teaching theology and church history; in the afternoons, he works with three levels of student teachers, teaching educational philosophy, grammar, and written and oral communication. Then, on the weekends we're both active in our discipleship group and worship.
Megan and Andrew continue working closely with their youth group, doing discipleship on Friday nights and a fun gathering on Saturday nights. They also are helping Jeanne with the book club...which is really seeing lives brought together, touched and changed. Jeanne started the book club last August...and this last week, we were able to see every person who is in the book club at Meg and Andrew's youth gathering at church!! Most of the book-club members are unchurched...so, this really excited us!
Jesse is doing well in college. She made it over that hurdle of the first semester, and now she seems to be settling in to college life nicely. As always, she continues with that spirit of service--she is volunteering at the First UMC of Georgetown, TX, across the street from the university, helping in their ESL program. We are so proud of her.
If you have e-mail, you probably have internet! When you get a chance go to our web-site (herrinmission.blogspot.com) and check out the new pictures we've posted there--pictures of both the seminary and the high school/teachers' college. Soon, we will put up pix of all that Meg and Andrew are involved in...well, not ALL--that would be WAY too many pictures!! ha,ha...
Many of you have asked in the past, "What can I do for the seminary?" or "Is there some way I can help with the school where Jeanne is teaching?" "How can directly impact the ministry there?" And, we can happily say, "YES, you can!!" Right now, we have two needs:
First, we really need a new copier at the seminary. We're nursing along an old one that just can't keep up with both office needs and student needs. We have found a copier that will work faster, that we can connect to the office network--cost: $1000. You may send ANY sized donation to:
https://www.themissionsociety.org/forms/onlinedonations/39/
In the "Donation Information" block, just direct it to special project: HERRIN/290: SMJW-COPIER.
Or, you may mail a check made out to The Mission Society with a note in memo saying "HERRIN/290: SMJW-Copier" to:
The Mission Society
6234 Crooked Creek Road
Norcross, GA 30092
As soon as we have enough funds, we will let you know so you can celebrate with us!!
Second, last year, Jeanne introduced the idea of the "reading corner" to the Laurens school (where we serve in the afternoons)--something they have never seen or heard of! The school now wants this for their elementary class rooms, and we would love to help the school get this idea implemented. We need books--lots and lots of children's books, grade levels 1-6. If you have any children's books you don't need, if you find some at a garage sale, if you run across some at a thrift store, we would love to be able to give them to the school here. We just need you to collect them, box them up and mail what you find, what you have--book rate!--to our Texas mail service:
Jon and Jeanne Herrin
2525 W. Veterans Blvd.
Lot 15 PMB 51
Mission, TX 78572
If you can get them there, we'll get them here! And what a difference books can make in a child's life!! You and I know this...now, let's show these teachers and children the value of reading.
Well, that's about all from this end. We thank you, we love you, we miss you...and we think of you often. We are so glad that God brought us all together...even if only by e-mail! Please, please, pray for peace and order in our city, for an end to the violence, for a spirit of hope. And, remember us as we serve here as an extension of your ministry, as an expression of your love for God.
With the greatest love and thanksgiving,
The Herrins in Monterrey
Jon, Jeanne, Megan, Andrew...and Jesse!
(As always, PLEASE feel free to print and distribute this newsletter as you wish-- mail it, facebook-it, post it to your blog--whatever! Thank you!)
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